OEM Bose system

T

The Landlord

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I have only had my NSX for about a month and I have not had a chance to investigate all of the factory stereo speakers yet. I was under the impression that the Bose sub was in the footwell but I had an audio guy at a well respected store tell me that the sub was the speaker between the seats.

Can someone clarify all of this to me please?

Where are all the speakers located besides the door speakers? If the sub is in the footwell, then what speaker is in between the seats?

Thanks in advance to anyone that is willing to answer!
 
The speaker between the seen was for the optional phone you could get with the car.

The sub is in the foot well. When sitting in the passenger seat it would be right above your feet.

As far as I know the only speakers are the 2 door speakers, the sub and the one between the seats
 
The NSX has 3 Speaker/amp Assy's, L + R Door and foot well. Powered from the foot well speaker is the little speaker between the seats, it's gererally refered to as the center speaker. It was also used by the OEM cell phone. The foot well speaker is called a sub woofer in the manual but you will get corrected calling it that here on Prime.
 
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BrianK is your best friend!
Although your signature provides little info about your car's year, other NSX's have their sub in the console to the left of the passenger's feet.
The middle speaker, between seats, provides mostly mid-range audio to give a "surround sound" experience.
Just my opinion, I only own two. :biggrin:

Oops, after proof reading I see he is johnny-on-the-spot. I did not know that about the OEM cell phone in earlier models!
 
Sorry about that. It is a '97, 6 speed. I have ordered a Z version 2 sub box and my car has been "put away" for the most part until the weather is a little better. When weather permits, I plan to investigate and get the new system put in. Thanks for everyones help. If the year and transmission makes a difference, let me know if there is any additional information.
 
The bose system is crap, so I would suggest to upgrade all the speakers, get an amp and call it a day.
 
No disrespect to Diddy but replacing the sub and speakers, while seemingly simple, tends to morph into a pretty major project. If your oem system is acting up, I recommend simply having briank repair your sub and speakers. But, if it ain't broke, don't try fixing it or "making it better"! You can make it louder, but you really can't make it much better. Swapping out the oem system will prove to be difficult, expensive, and generally just a huge pain in the a$$. Then when you are done it will probably sound just like it did before you started, only louder maybe, unless it was failing in the first place.

If you still can't help yourself and just have to mess with it, install an iPod adapter. Easy, useful, satisfying, and represents an actual improvement to the oem Bose system.
 
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sorry but a decent aftermarket system is not only going to be louder, it will be cleaner.

bose is a 4-letter word in the auto-audio industry. theres no way 3 four inch speakers can deliver the same quality as a good set of 6.5" separates and an 8-10" sub. those speakers cant even properly produce the same range of sound as an aftermarket set.

it may not be "broke", but it still sounds like shite my friend.


ryan
 
People love to run down the Bose system (it's a fanboy thing), but it really isn't that bad, and it is sort of optimized for the NSX. Still, I can be convinced! :smile: Show me what you got! What kind of stereo system do you have in your NSX? Pictures please...
 
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Jett said:
No disrespect to Diddy but replacing the sub and speakers, while seemingly simple, tends to morph into a pretty major project. If your oem system is acting up, I recommend simply having briank repair your sub and speakers. But, if it ain't broke, don't try fixing it or "making it better"! You can make it louder, but you really can't make it much better. Swapping out the oem system will prove to be difficult, expensive, and generally just a huge pain in the a$$. Then when you are done it will probably sound just like it did before you started, only louder maybe, unless it was failing in the first place.

If you still can't help yourself and just have to mess with it, install an iPod adapter. Easy, useful, satisfying, and represents an actual improvement to the oem Bose system.
Click to expand...

Just wondering if you've listened to another NSX that has had a complete system put in? I have and it didn't sound like a louder version of the Bose system at all. YMMV
 
Wouldn't installing an extra set of tweeters with their own frequency filters high up in the doors/on the doormirror triangle improve things? I have done this setup with several of my other cars and this generally improved the standard speaker sound noticably.
Am concidering doiing this with the NSX, any advice where I should hook up the tweeter wires to?
 
rsevo6 said:
Wouldn't installing an extra set of tweeters with their own frequency filters high up in the doors/on the doormirror triangle improve things? I have done this setup with several of my other cars and this generally improved the standard speaker sound noticably.
Am concidering doiing this with the NSX, any advice where I should hook up the tweeter wires to?
Click to expand...

It wouldn't hurt to try, provided the tweeters don't require much power. I'd tap signal off of the speaker wires for the door speaker. Before you drill anything into that sail panel be sure to give it a test/listen to see if it really does make a difference. Let us know how it works out for you.
 
sorry but i didn't see a need to reply.in the 12 years of working in car audio myself and anyone else who works in the business will tell you bose is terrible compared to even a modestly funded aftermarket system.

what good would pics do for you? you still cant hear it i'm afraid. i'm sorry but a single 4" speaker cannot accurately reproduce the range of sound that is expected of it in this scenario. too many frequencies trying to come through the same speaker equals mud. its like listening with earplugs in your ears.

if all it took was one 4" speaker for any sounds between say 100 and 15K then why in the world do all these companies offer separate midrange and high components? don't even get me started on trying to use a 4" speaker as a subwoofer. seriously?

i'll happily provide the specs of my aftermarket system for you though for what good it will do. the only fanboy here is the one who is convinced that bose is the greatest thing in the world.

premier avic-f90bt
premier tsd-720c review
alpine pdx-4.100
premier ts-sw841d

if you are happy with the way the factory system sounds then i'm happy for you but misinforming people that replacing the oem sound system won't improve the sound is just plain wrong.
 
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seriously? get over it friend. the first thing i did was tear that garbage out. i don't have to take pictures to prove to you that mine isn't stock.

you actually expect me to pull my doors apart for you? no thanks. my OEM BOSE STEREO is in pieces at the home of one briank because i sold it to him :D

how about you post something to convince us all as to why your three 4" speakers sound so phenomenal?

how about you explain why you are the only one raving about the quality of the bose system? i think you just don't know what good sound is and im sorry for ya.

i'm done in this thread friend, enjoy that quality sound ya got there...
 
...it it really isn't that bad, and it is sort of optimized for the NSX.
Click to expand...

I didn't realize this was raving.

What kind of stereo system do you have in your NSX? Pictures please...
Click to expand...

You made a lot more noise, and still you evaded the question. What brand is it? Audiovox? Come on, just one cell phone pic?

Bose haters love to run down Bose gear, but never really bother to make their case - they just criticize anyone who has anything that is not negative to say about Bose. Theirs is not an opinion based on fact, it is an emotion based on how they feel. I don't think Bose is the finest equipment ever made, but I don't think they suck either.
 
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Jett said:
Bose haters love to run down Bose gear, but never really bother to make their case - they just criticize anyone who has anything that is not negative to say about Bose. Theirs is not an opinion based on fact, it is an emotion based on how they feel. I don't think Bose is the finest equipment ever made, but I don't think they suck either.
Click to expand...


This guy is either:
1) A Bose employee.
2) Utterly tone deaf.
3) An infomercial addict.

Come to think of it, he could be any combination of the above.

Jett,
I managed a high end retail audio store in Manhattan in the late '70s - early '80s. I was there when the 901s were introduced. They were junk back then and the junkfest has continued through the years fueled by a very slick marketing campaign.

Bose's basic philosophy is to over-equalize small sub-par speakers to give the illusion of "bigger sound". This leaves ignorant people with the impression they are engineering wizards and produce state of the art products. Their slick marketing allows them to charge ridiculous prices and make huge margins by selling the public products made from the cheapest components possible.

To each his own however and if you like the way it sounds, good for you. It's a shame though since you have no idea what you're really missing out on.
 
I was there when the 901s were introduced.
Click to expand...

You sir are older than God.

i'm done in this thread friend
Click to expand...

Thanks for going back and editing your answer! Can I get just one cell phone pic, so that I know what real stereo equipment looks like?

You guys really do belong to a Bose-hating cult, don't you? I knew it! All I said was that Bose really isn't all that bad. Settle down! Does the cult run some kind of internet scanner 24-7, so whenever someone types the word Bose an alert goes out and a cult member shows up to say how much they suck?

Note to self: Add the topic "Bose" to the list of other highly controversial, forbidden, taboo internet topics that you just can't talk about without someone showing up and vomiting all over your thread.

1. Mac vs PC
2. Motor oil
3. Tires
4. Bose
 
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My speakers sounded fine when I purchased my car, yet I decided to remove them anyway.

I removed my Bose System speakers for the following reasons:

1. My car is a 1992, the speakers are 17 years old. Technology must have improved in the last 17 years.

2. I enjoy working on Car Audio upgrades, its a hobby and replacing the OEM Bose Factory System looked like an interesting project.

3. NSXPrime had a significant amount of HOW-TO guides and member feedback from all of the upgrades that had been completed. The research has been done for you.

4. At some point the Bose Speakers need to have the amplifiers repaired, now that being said the repair cost is very reasonable and there are several resources that you can use to have the repair done without having to visit the dealer. e.g. BrianK.

What I learned....

A. The upgrade is potentially an expensive proposal. Prepackaged systems that upgrade the speakers (with coaxials) and add an amplifier can cost you $1,195 (Science of Speed Audiophile kit). + installation. My upgrade cost well over $1,400 without a subwoofer and subwoofer amp.

B. Everyone here has their own idea of what sounds best, but each post provides valuable information that will help you find what components are best for your installation.

C. DO-IT-YOURSELF. Someone mentioned in a post that most audio installers have never worked on an NSX. I couldn't believe how accurate this statement was. I brought my car to a shop and told them that most installers use the jump-start terminal in the engine bay to power the amp. The installer (who previously mentioned that he had done an NSX before) asked me to pop the front hood so he could see the engine. It was at that moment I decided the entire project would be DIY.

D. Wire for the future. My 2-channel amp is mounted in the trunk. Although I am not currently using a subwoofer, I know at some point it will be a feature that I would like to add. I ran subwoofer speaker cable higher guage (14 guage) then my speaker cable (16 guage) from the front passenger floor to the trunk, and a 4-channel amp cable from the head unit to the trunk.

E. Purchasing a new head unit gets EXPENSIVE. In addition to the cost of the head unit itself you may want to have the center console customized so that the new single-din or double-din head unit looks factory installed. You could replace the entire center console (with cutout), for about $494.50 (Science of Speed) or you could pay to have your existing console cut and refinished (HighlineCarAudio) for $325.

F. You will break plastic clips. The dealer doesn't stock many of them, so they will have to be ordered. They are not grossly expensive but the price adds up when you replace several of them.

G. Wiring new cable to the doors is a challenging proposition. I have read that one NSXprime member was able to do it....I can't even imagine how. I, like many tapped into the existing cable.

H. The existing Bose components have value on eBay or in the forums. Many people enjoy the sound of the Bose System, would prefer to keep their car Stock, or cannot justify the cost of an upgrade.

I. Pay the $4.95 for each manual (or use the forums to find good step-by-step instructions) that show you how to remove the speakers, and the head unit. If you are not doing it yourself give these guides to your audio installer. The bose subwoofer removal is pretty easy and has been well documented on the forums.

J. Buy everything you need at once to combine and save on shipping.

L. The upgraded system does sound better, in my opinion. Although I do miss that small speaker between the seats.

Someday I'll get around to writing up a DIY for the installation, tools required, and associated costs. I have taken all of the pictures already I just need to find the time to put all of the details into a nice .PDF.
 
OK first time I've posted anything here. After struggling with a broken Bose system for two years I finally have the time to replace and upgrade. Bose out , in is a Sony head unit, 2 Sony amps, JBL 6.5 separates, 10 inch Kenwood sub. Will gladly post pics of the work and finished product in a few weeks. Will also give an honest opinion of which sounds better as well. Anyone in the Pac Nwest who wants to hear it come on by!
 
I'm going to regret sticking my nose into this...

Bose woofers and made of paper. They are not rigid, which allows them to play decently with very low power, but allows them to distort and become muddy with added wattage (volume and frequencies).

Bose woofers (in the NSX) are 4 inches. A four inch woofer is great for playing 200Hz - 10,000Hz which covers most of your music. The problem is that your receiver (radio, CD, iPod...all inputs) sends signals much lower and much higher to the speakers. The speaker can't physically play them very well and that creates lots of muddy sound. The sound is also unbalanced, because the speaker is not playing the full spectrum of frequency as the artist intended. To get proper full range one needs a subwoofer, woofer and tweeter - with a crossover to direct specific frequencies to the appropriate speaker.

Here's the gist: For the layperson, they may not notice the difference. In the NSX, which is far from a great soundstage, nearly everyone may not hear the difference. For those of us who can, Bose simply will not do.

Here is an interesting article, with lots of technical details, about why the Bose Acoustimass surround sound is an inferior and expensive product. The principles are the same for the NSX OEM system.
 

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